{Peaceful Parenting} Parenting for Peace: Baby Steps to Take Now For Lifelong Success

by Marcy Axness, PhD

phpto: tricia krefetz

In every phenomenon the beginning remains always the most notable moment.
-- Thomas Carlyle

 

So if I only had fifteen minutes with a parent or "pre-parent," what would I tell them?

First I'd want to give them the big picture about what we're seeking to do when we parent for peace: much of this is about what parents can do to foster their child's robustly healthy brain, particularly the structure and function of the intricate network of the social brain. When children wire up with circuitry for such

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{Bamboo Baby} Beyond Love: Ideas to Help You During Your Baby’s First Year

by Sarah Werthan Buttenwieser 

andrea smith of andrea renee photography

What do babies need from you most? You know it—your love. That part’s easy; you’re besotted. And you’re sleep-deprived. So, what’s next? Babies, as Anne Lamott famously lamented, do not come with operating instructions.

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{Shoots + Leaves} Spring Song

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{Tuned In} Motherhood and the Myth of Perfection

by Ashley Ess

photo: andrea smith of andrea renee photography

There is no “perfect” mother. At least not in the traditional, societal (non)sense. As a mother, you are, however, a perfect interpretation of the unique gifts of your soul.

No two mothers are alike, and that is a beautiful thing! When we look toward others for the model of perfection, we are not honoring our authentic selves. We are living outside our selves. We are succumbing to the myth. Could we improve on how we react to our child’s meltdowns? Sure. Could we all work on being more present with our children and families? Of course. Should we compare ourselves to the moms who seem to have a handle on the mothering thing so perfectly that we feel crawling under the nearest dank rock to sulk because we can’t even come close to accomplishing what other moms can? Absolutely not! Oftentimes, as mothers, we are thrust into insecurity due to others’ accomplishments or judgments. And that’s not where we want to be.

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{In Reflection} A Moment with Mayim Bialik

by Avital Norman Nathman

photo: denise herrick borchertMayim Bialik is truly a woman of many hats. Not only is she starring in “The Big Bang Theory” - one of the hottest shows in television right now, but she also holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from UCLA, is a Lactation Education Consultant, has earned the title of “Spokesmama” for the Holistic Moms Network, and is the loving mother of two young sons. With all of that going on in her life, it’s a wonder that Mayim has found the time to write a book on parenting. But that’s just what she did! Mayim’s newest project, Beyond The Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way, is currently a best-selling book all about the benefits of Attachment Parenting (AP) and how the practice has worked in her own family. 

Mayim does a wonderful job of weaving together the main principles of AP with scientific facts from her academic background, as well as personal anecdotes that help show exactly how this parenting philosophy works. I recently had the chance to talk with Mayim about her book and was able to get a better idea of how this busy mama is able to make it all work. 

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Keeping Your Children Close: Why Timeouts Don’t Work

by Kirsten Andrews

My kids love their naughty chair. It was a big score at a garage sale some years ago when I was desperate to find a tool that would work miracles – much like it does with that oh-so-together (read: childless) British nanny on television. 

As a mom to a toddler in the throes of the terrible twos and a newborn, I was willing to do whatever it took to turn that less-than-desirable behavior into something more manageable. Something more survivable.  Something that didn’t leave me feeling like I was completely incapable of taking care of more than one child at a time. Because, let’s face it, it was kind of too late to return either one.

So I found the perfect naughty chair. It’s a peppy lime green. I figured the peeling paint (so long as it wasn’t lead-based) added a touch of charm to something that would ultimately be used for some quite un-charming moments. 

How lucky could a mom get? 

Well, it turns out incredibly lucky because in the next year I was able to take in a number of parenting talks by faculty at Cedar Valley Waldorf School in Squamish, BC where my children now attend preschool and kindergarten, and by Dr. Gordon Neufeld, an internationally renowned developmental psychologist and author (Hold On To Your Kids, with Gabor Mate) whose book has been translated into eight languages. It was then that I learnt exactly why it was this amazingly awesome naughty chair was falling short. 

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The Joys of Asparagus Season and a Delicious Recipe from the Gluten-Free Girl

by Shauna Ahern, Gluten Free Girl

We wait for it all year.

That’s not quite true. In July, after 2 straight months of eating asparagus every way I can imagine, I want nothing to do with it. The gaudy months of summer blare out the quieter months of spring. Bright, bedazzling, sun-drenched — the fruits of July and August are far more memorable than spring’s first real green. By the time the cooler months have arrived, we cannot wait for the first glimpse of the muted oranges and sepia tones of autumn squashes. The first month or so of winter, I even look forward to parsnips and celery root.

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{Body + Mind + Spirit} Your Dreams are Gifts: An Introduction to Dreamwork

by Jack Stull

 photo: andrea smith of andrea renee photography

“The dream shows the inner truth and reality of the patient as it really is: not as I conjecture it to be, and not as he would like it to be, but as it is.“ 

-- Carl Jung

 

Dreams. We all have them. And by “dreams,” I don't mean our hopes and aspirations. I am referring to those strange stories that we experience during the night when we sleep. Some of us may rarely remember our dreams. Some of us may remember them, but then have no idea about what to do with them. We might say: “I had the strangest dream last night,” but then carry on with our day without giving it another thought. I have learned from my many years of working with my dreams and the dreams of others that these strange, nightly occurrences are really worth paying attention to. They are, indeed, precious gifts that can profoundly impact our lives, if only we take the time to learn how to unwrap their significances.

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{Show + Tell} Gifts + Goodies

Click on the image below to Bamboo's product picks for the season...

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{Home, Naturally} Feng Shui: Spring Clean from the Inside Out

by Alison Forbes and Laura Forbes Carlin at Inspired Everyday Living

Photos by Tamara Muth King

Feng Shui is the 4,000 year old Chinese practice of making positive changes in your home to create positives changes in your life. At the heart of Feng Shui is the idea that our homes and surroundings influence all aspects of our well being---physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Therefore if you wish to improve your life, you can do so by changing your home. One of the most effective ways to positively enhance your home and life is to clear your clutter. Feng Shui believes that as you let go of the clutter in your home and release the old, you simultaneously make space for something new in your life.  In other words, as you clean house, you clean self. 

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{Mindful Pregnancy} Welcome, Baby Orion­­: A Birth Story from behind the Lens

Article and photography by Tricia Krefetz, Click. Capture. Create. Photography

 

When people first learn that I am a birth photographer, most times they reveal a puzzled expression and immediately envision me simply taking pictures of a baby being born.  But, what I find so profound and interesting is that the physical birth of a baby is a very small chapter of the entire, complex birth story.  While it is truly amazing to capture that first breath, that first look, and that very first touch, it’s all those moments leading up to and following a birth that convey the rawest of human emotions.   

I invite you to join me on one very special journey -- the birth of Baby Orion -- and my personal journey from behind the lens.  

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{Grandmother Wisdom} The Spring Within

by Nanci Shanderá, PhD

photo: deidre caswell

Plants and trees are celebrating spring by flowering and remind us of our own inner flowering as we emerge from the hibernation time of winter. For many, winter is a challenge, not only because of the stormy weather, but we are usually dealing with holiday plans, family gatherings (pleasant or otherwise!), shopping, and then taxes after the holidays are over.

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Glowing from the Inside: A Mother’s Journey Toward a Mostly Raw Diet and Lustrous Health for the Whole Family

by Joli Forbes

photos by Sabrina Helas

 

Food has always been a passion of mine. I dove right into eating at the early age of two months old. My loving and nurturing mother began feeding me cereal and jarred foods at an early age just as her doctor recommended. Creamy white foods and saucy carbs continue to be my favorite things to eat! Food has been what gets me out of bed in the morning and the fullness from dinner puts me back to bed at night. Lethargic, clogged and full of bad habits that quell my fire and potential, I recently stood up to say, “I don’t want to live like this anymore!” My family and I deserve to eat healthy food and I want to lose extra weight … it’s as simple as that. The following story is for us mothers who are ready to relight our internal fires and help our families begin to glow!

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Parenting Through Your Child’s Developmental Changes: A Three-Part Series

by Hannah Ruth Wilde

photo: sabrina helas

As the school year rounds its curve towards summer, many children take a much needed breath of fresh air – otherwise known as spring break. It never fails to surprise me, when my elementary students return after two weeks, that quite a few noticeable changes have occurred.  The first is height.  Do the spring rain and longer days grow them faster?  Second, I see a higher level of self-possession. Perhaps they have finally gown into their grade level, only to sprout and ready themselves for the next.  Cognitive abilities noticeably advance as well.  Like bamboo that grows four inches a day – a growth that can actually be watched in real time - children change before our very eyes.  As parents, how do we keep up?

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The Smart Home: Simple Steps for Reducing Household Chemicals

by Jennifer Taggart

photo: www.cgindy.com

Every parent wants his or her child’s home to be safe. But information available suggests that the products we use in our homes can make them unsafe. It seems that hidden dangers lurk everywhere - lead in toys, phthalates in baby shampoo, bisphenol A in baby bottles, and flame retardants in household dust. Of course, the actual health risk posed by these chemicals may be small, and the science is still uncertain about specific health risks for some common chemicals. But, the risk may be a risk you don’t want to take, especially when there are ways to reduce or eliminate exposures to potentially harmful chemicals.

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{Root + Stem} Crafting with Wood: Stacker Tutorial

by Kimara Wise and Michelle Bonney

from Wee Folk Art

 Click here to download the tutorial 

 

There is something so magical about wooden toys. Perhaps it’s because they remind us of a simpler time, possibly it is their organic connection to nature, or maybe it is simply because a well–made wooden toy is a thing of beauty. Sadly, today most people consider woodworking to be an unattainable crafting skill. Where we can easily envision ourselves knitting or sewing, woodcrafting is shrouded in mystery; a skill reserved for professionals.  

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{Conscious Harvest} Growing Together: Gardening with Children

by Angela Price 

Children have a natural affinity for fully experiencing the outdoors with all their senses. They seem instinctually drawn to puddles left by the rain. Blades of grass or sticks become musical instruments. Little hands quickly seek out mud or bugs, and little bodies love to roll down grassy hills. Seeing the outdoor world through the eyes of a child is a truly magical experience, and encouraging and teaching children to participate in the garden is enriching for both kids and family. 

Let me share my personal story of gardening as a child. I truly believe that my decision to become a garden designer was inspired by the wonderful memories I have playing in the garden with my dad.  I grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles where food came from the market.  Except for oranges.  Everyone had an orange tree or a lemon tree in his or her yard. They were the last vestiges of the acres of citrus farms that once blanketed LA. I was always surprised to be playing in a friend’s backyard and come across a plum tree or a patch of strawberries. The fruit seemed almost too exotic to eat – strawberries usually came in little green plastic baskets covered in cellophane.

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Conscious Close-Up with Tessa Hill of Kids for Saving Earth

by Ashley Ess

 

I recently had the honor of talking with Kids for Saving Earth founder Tessa Hill. As you will see, Tessa is dedicated to spreading the important message of protecting the environment.

As a non-profit, KSE is dedicated to educating, inspiring and empowering children to help make our planet healthy. When I first read about Kids for Saving Earth (KSE), warmth instantly enveloped my heart. The story of how KSE came to fruition is nothing short of heartbreaking and its expansion into a flourishing, active environmental organization inspires and ignites action.

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Bamboo Book Recommendations

All titles are available for purchase in the Bamboo Shop

All the Way to the Ocean

by Joel Harper

A modest story with a global message, All the Way to the Ocean is an important children’s book aimed at teaching kids how bad littering is and that “all drains lead to the ocean.”

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